The Institute for Christian Teaching

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Announcing...

38th International Seminar on the Integration of Faith and Learning
Loma Linda, California, U.S.A. – July 13-25, 2008

Sponsors. The 38th International Faith and Learning Seminar is co-sponsored by the Institute for Christian Teaching (a service of the General Conference Department of Education) the Geoscience Research Institute, and Loma Linda University , with additional support from The Foundation for Adventist Education. It will be offered on the campus of Loma Linda University , July 13-25, 2008.

Participants. This interdisciplinary seminar is organized for Seventh-day Adventist college and university science teachers and researchers in Adventist institutions of higher learning, especially those responsible for courses on Science and Religion, and for educational administrators with a science background who hold a graduate degree and have a solid command of the English language. Participants will be selected on the basis of an essay proposal submitted with the application, with preference given to those who propose a quality research topic for the required essay.

Background. More than 600 Adventist educators have participated in the 37 previous seminars of the Institute for Christian Teaching, which have been held in Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Cote d'Ivoire, England, France, Ghana, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Jamaica, Kenya, Korea, Mexico, Nigeria, Peru, Philippines, Singapore, South Africa, Thailand, and the United States. Over 600 essays on the integration of faith with various academic and professional fields, prepared by seminar participants, along with many relevant articles, have been published in the Christ in the Classroom collection, which now includes 36 volumes. Sets of this collection are available in the libraries of Adventist colleges and universities worldwide. A selection of these essays can be downloaded free from the Institute's website: http://ict.adventist.org.

Objectives. The main objectives of this interdisciplinary seminar are:

To provide participants an opportunity and a context for focused study, reflection, and discussion of the essentials of Seventh-day Adventist educational philosophy and their implications for teaching, learning, and research in the sciences.
To familiarize participants with the basic concepts of the integration of faith, values, learning, and profession, its bibliography, and their application in educational settings.
To assist participants in the refinement of a publishable essay that will bring to bear on his or her area of activity the essentials of Adventist educational philosophy and the concepts of faith and learning integration in the sciences.
To enable participants to become initiators or supporters of the process of integrating faith, values, teaching, learning, and administration among their colleagues in their respective educational contexts.

Program. The theme of the seminar will be “Christianity and Science in Biblical Perspective.” Participants selected will receive a set of basic books to read in advance of the seminar. During the program, lecturers and participants will review the interaction between worldviews and philosophies with science teaching and learning, and examine their implications for Bible-believing educators, researchers, and administrators. In the meantime, each participant will expand an essay in his or her scientific field, which will then be presented in draft form to the group during the closing sessions of the seminar. Above all, participants will enjoy the time for concentrated reading and reflection, as well as the stimulating exchanges among colleagues and guest lecturers from various cultures.

Finances. The financing of this seminar will be undertaken as follows:

Each employing organization is expected to continue the salary of the educators selected and provide for their travel and the cost of the meals while he or she attends the seminar. It is estimated that the meals available in the area during the seminar will cost US$250.00.
The seminar organizers will provide local transportation, will house the participants at a nearby hotel free of charge, and will make available the meeting facilities as well as library access and computer use.
The seminar co-sponsors will contract the lecturers, cover the cost of the basic books and duplicating on campus, and provide travel assistance as follows: US$200.00 to participants coming to the United States from Inter-American Division; $300.00 to those coming from Europe and $450.00 to participants from other divisions. The travel assistance will be provided after the seminar ends.

Applications. Adventist college and university science teachers and researchers, especially those responsible for courses on Science and Religion, and educational administrators with a science background who hold a graduate degree and have a solid command of the English language are encouraged to apply as soon as possible. Printed application forms may be secured from academic administrators on each campus or from Mrs. Carol Olmo (colmo@llu.edu) at the Geoscience Research Institute. Application forms may also be downloaded by clicking here. Application forms must be submitted to Mrs. Carol Olmo as attachments to an e-mail message or via fax: 909-558-4314. The deadline for receiving the completed application at the Geoscience Research Institute is March 14, 2008 .

Selection. The Selection Committee will take into account the educational background of the applicant and the originality and relevance of the essay proposal submitted, while maintaining a balance among the institutions and disciplines represented. It is expected that 30 participants will be chosen. Before applying, interested individuals are urged to review the latest volume in the Christ in the Classroom series (available at all Adventist college and university libraries) in order to acquaint themselves with the subjects and format, and to avoid submitting proposals for topics already covered. The preliminary pages of the latest volume contain a comprehensive "Subject Index to the Essays." This index can also be obtained by requesting a free copy of the ICT Catalogue from the Geoscience Research Institute. A selection of these essays may be downloaded free from the Institute's website: http://ict.adventist.org.

Notification. Candidates selected will be notified by March 31, 2008, and will be given one week to accept or decline the invitation. Alternates will also be notified by the same date and will be contacted immediately in the event that any first-round candidate declines the invitation or withdraws. It is expected that the final roster of participants will be confirmed by April 14, 2008.

Honorarium. The Institute will grant an honorarium of US$200.00 to participants who, two months after the seminar, submit a publishable essay to be included in the next volume of the Christ in the Classroom series, which will be made available free to the authors as well as to the libraries of Adventist colleges and universities worldwide.